Portable lamp



.J. eduuil I 1,297,144

Sept. 29, 1942.

PORTABLE LAMP I Filed March 22, 1941 G 3 w 6 3 4. 3 C W t 3 a .f J K r llll I J INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 29, 1942 PORTABLE LAMP James Gould, Jr., Meriden, Conn, assignor to The Miller Company, Meriden, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application March 22, 1941, Serial No. 384,654

Claims. (01. 240- 81) This invention relates to portable lamps, and is more particularly directed toward portable lamps having auxiliary lighting means to render the shade of the lamp luminous.

The present invention contemplates improvements in floor lamps having auxiliary lighting means in which it is possible to mount this auxiliary lighting means between the control switch placed in the upper part of the lamp standard or column and the lamp head. To effectively illuminate the shade from underneath it is necessary that the auxiliary lighting device be mounted close to the bottom of the shade and in order to have the switch control for the lamp at a convenient height it is desirable to have this switch control nearly up to the bottom of the shade.

The present invention contemplates a portable lamp wherein a control switch and auxiliary shade lighting equipment may be mounted close together in compact relation and occupy only a small portion of the lamp standard, so that each can be convenient for switching purposes and the auxiliary light may be properly disposed with respect to the shade.

The invention also contemplates the provision of the auxiliary lighting equipment in such form that the lamps are covered to protect them against dust, dirt and foreign articles and the covering means employed is such that it can be lifted up to afford access to the secondary light source employed without disturbing the structure of the lamp.

The accompanying drawing shows, for purposes of illustrating the present invention, an embodiment in which the invention may take form, it being understood that the drawing is illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a portable lamp;

Figure 2 is a sectional view showing the switch and auxiliary lighting equipment; and

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the auxiliary lighting equipment with parts broken away to show interior construction.

Figure 1 illustrates a portable lamp with a conventional base I0, standard or column ll, shade l2, reflector I3, primary light source l4 and socket holder or lamp head IS.

The lamp column is preferably provided with a switch unit l6 mounted at a convenient distance below the bottom of the shade and a convenient height above the floor for control purposes. This switch construction must be somewhat larger than the usual diameter of 'the standard or column and forms an obstruction to the downward movement of a device above it, unless that device has a large aperture.

As indicated in Figure 2 the switch unit has a housing ll threaded onto the pipe I8 of the standard and is provided with a switch structure indicated at 19 under the control of the knob 20. The upper end of the switch housing I1 is threaded, as indicated at 2|, to receive the lower end of a nipple 22; This nipple receives a sheet metal shell 23, a washer 24 and the lower threaded end 25 of a hickey 26. The hickey has an opening, indicated at 21, to permit passing wires outwardly into the shell 23 and preferably has two arms 28, 28 which support two lamp sockets 29, 29 and two lamps 30, 30. The upper end of the hickey is threaded, as indicated at 3|, to receive a pipe 32. This pipe receives an ornamental turning 33 and a washer 34 and the upper end is coupled to the socket cover so that the lamp head is supported in place.

The sheet metal shell 23 is provided with a step, indicated at 35, opposite the washer 34, and these parts receive a closure 36 usually made of two identical pieces of diffusing glass each occupying nearly one-half the annular space. The joint between the two pieces of glass is indicated at 31 in Figure 3. The shell 23 may have an upwardly extending ornamental head 38 apertured as indicated at 39 for ornamental purposes.

When the lamp is assembled and in use all the parts carried by the standard are secured together tightly so that a rigid structure is obtained. Whenever one needs to replace the secondary light sources in the form of incandescent lamps 30, 30, it is merely necessary to pick up one of the glass cover plates and this gives access to the sockets without disturbing the structure in any way. The lamps 30 may be controlled by a switch indicated at 40. In wiring up the lamp the current supply line will be brought to both the switch I 9 and 40 and the wires from the switch I9 will be passed up through the hickey and pipe 32 in the usual manner.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modifications and difierent arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a portable lamp, in combination, a base, a shade carrying head, and a tubular standard between the base and head including a hickey having a laterally extending arm, a substantially horizontal lamp socket and lamp carried by the arm, the lamp being close to the axis of the standard, a cup-shaped housing fixedly secured to the standard below the hickey and extending upwardly outside the socket and lamp, and alight transmitting closure carried by the housing above the lamp and lamp socket, the closure being apertured to accommodate the portion of the standard extending upwardly from the hickey.

and being upwardly movable to give access to the lamp inside the fixed housing.

2. In a portable lamp, a base, an upwardly extending pipe, a switch housing threaded onto the pipe and carrying a switch for a primary light source, a nipple threaded into the top of the switch housing, a cup-shaped housing apertured to receive the nipple, a hickey threaded onto the nipple and clamping the housing between the hickey and housing, a lamp socket carried by the hickey, a secondary light source carried by the socket and disposed inside the housing, a lamp head secured to the top of the hickey and carrying a primary light source and a lamp shade, and a light transmitting closure carried by the housing above the secondary light source for transmitting light for illuminating the shade, the closure being upwardly movable to afford access to the secondary light source.

3. A lamp such as claimed in claim 2, wherein the closure is in the form of two segments of an annulus so that they may be removed.

4. In a portable lamp, a tubular hickey threaded at the top and bottom so that wiring can be! carried therethrough and having horizontal arms, I substantially horizontal lamp sockets and lamps carried by the arms, the lamps being close to the l hickey, an upwardly opening relatively fixed housing extending from below the bottom of the hickey upwardly about the sockets and lamps and above the lamps so as to conceal the hickey, sockets and lamps, an upwardly removable light transmitting closure fitting inside the upper part Y of the housing, and a control switch carried by the housing.

5. In a portable lamp, a tubular hickey threaded at the top and bottom so that wiring can be carried therethrough and having horizontal arms, substantially horizontal lamp sockets and lamps carried by the arms, the lamps being close to the hickey, an upwardly opening relatively fixed housing extending from below the bottom of the hickey upwardly about the sockets and lamps and above the lamps so as to conceal the hickey, sockets and lamps, the housing having a shelf at substantially the level of the top of the hickey, a nipple extending upwardly from the hickey, a washer about the nipple and supported on top of the hickey, a light transmitting closure resting on the shelf and washer, and a control switch carried by the housing.

JAMES GOULD, JR. 

